Q:With summer approaching, we have booked our first international trip since before COVID began. What are some things I can do to make sure we stay healthy and well throughout the trip? Do I need compression socks for an 11-hour flight? Are there specific vitamins I can take before and during the trip to help avoid illness? I’m nervous because I am a rusty traveler!
International travel is one of my personal favorite things to do when I am not working. I love adventures, appreciating new cultures, trying new foods and creating those memories with my family that last a lifetime.
However, maintaining your health while exploring the world is paramount to ensuring an enjoyable journey. From managing jet lag to avoiding common travel-related illnesses, let me share a few essential tips so you can brush off those Covid cobwebs and start living again.
As early as possible before your trip, speak to your healthcare provider about any immunizations you may need depending on your itinerary and what are you are planning to do. Make sure to pack a “just-in-case” kit with over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, allergy medication, antacids and other digestive issues. Don’t forget the hand sanitizer, sunscreen and insect repellent as well.
Your doctor might also consider giving you a prescription for antibiotics depending on your destination, in case of respiratory illness or traveler’s diarrhea. Remember to keep your prescription and essential medications with you in your carry-on luggage given how frequently the airlines tend to “misplace” checked bags these days.
Staying well hydrated on the long plane ride, and avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine, can help ward off jet lag and make you feel more rested upon arrival at your destination.
Another trick to help with this is to gradually adjust your sleep schedule to match your destination’s time zone before you leave. If it is daytime when you arrive, get out in the sunlight and try to stay active until dark. Melatonin may also help with insomnia due to time zone shifts.
As far as needing compression stockings for the plane, they can help prevent blood clots on long flights, but may not be necessary depending on your medical history. It is always good to stretch your legs and walk up and down the aisle a few times to keep the blood circulating.
Practicing safe eating and drinking while still enjoying the local cuisine is an important rule of thumb. Stick to reputable restaurants, avoid consuming raw or undercooked foods, tap water, ice cubes, and unpasteurized dairy products. Of course, my advice varies based on whether you are dining in Denmark or in the alleys of Angola. Wherever you are, wash your hands frequently and carry hand sanitizer with you in case hot water and soap are not immediately available.
Since many destinations may have mosquito-borne diseases, protect yourself with insect repellent containing DEET, wear long-sleeve clothing, sleep under mosquito nets, and avoid the water around dawn and dusk. Malaria pills are essential depending on what part of the world you are going to.
Finally, make sure to pay attention to your mental health. Traveling can sometimes be mentally exhausting. Taking breaks to exercise or meditate, not running from one tourist trap to the other, and slowing down to appreciate the locals can make such a difference in your overall experience.
Hopefully this advice will help ensure a safe and satisfying journey.
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